Dr wants me to stop nursing for 5 days

I'm on antibiotics that have been prescribed to prevent infection. After 8 days of the 14 day rx, my 17 month old vomited once and has had several sick poops. She is acting a little under the weather. Dr. Thinks it may be from the antibiotics and she's exposed from nursing. I nurse my daughter about 6-7 times a day. Dr. Wants me to quit nursing and just pump. Daughter has never taken cow's milk, but also she nurses more for comfort. I am considering going off the antibiotics and sticking to my probiotics because I can't fathom keeping her from nursing for 5 days. I can't handle the thought of being abruptly taken from nursing. Any thoughts on this. People keep telling me "she's old enough to wean", but that's not the point. I want her to decide that. Help I'm so discouraged.

I have no idea why you are on abs, or what you are on, or what dose. but here is the way I look at it. Sorry if this offends anti- ab people.

There are very good reasons to keep taking abs for the required course if needed. 14 days seems a tad long, maybe discuss your physician whether it is really needed in your case to take them that long. What if they were making you feel sick?

If your child were given an antibiotic directly for an infection or to avoid infection, as of course, toddlers routinely are, and had mild adverse reactions like occasional vomiting and 'sick looking' poop and as a result are not feeling awesome, would the abs be discontinued? I think that is a question to research, or ask yourself, or ask your child's pediatrician. Because I am not at all sure the answer would be "yes." Some adverse reaction like this to abs is normal and basically the recommendation for mild reactions is to live with it.

In your case, you know that the very low exposure to the abs you are taking that your baby has had or will continue to have, may have caused this mild sounding reaction. Maybe. So, you may want to be extra careful if baby is ever directly given abs. But I am not sure it means all exposure to baby via your milk must stop now rather than 5 days from now. Also, what the doctor is not doubt not considering at all is that there are risks to discontinuing nursing in this way as well, to both of you.

People keep telling me "she's old enough to wean",

So? that is their opinion based on faulty knowledge or assumptions. What does 'old enough" mean? You hear this over and over again as a parent, especially of a daughter, every one assumes girls are mature enough for all kinds of things that would be entirely individual. Of course when to wean is up to you and your child and only up to you and your child.

If you do decide to stop nursing for a few days, you can keep up your milk production by pumping and encourage baby to nurse again when you are off the abs. Not thinking this is really needed, but if that is what happens it is still possible to go back to nursing- there is some risk baby will not nurse again but certainly you can try. She may go right back to it without a thought, or you might need to do some encouraging.